Final Fantasy XIII-2

Review

Divide and Conquer

A reversal of fortunes?

There aren’t many gamers who have never played a Final Fantasy title, and even fewer who have never heard of Square Enix’s premiere franchise. So, when Final Fantasy XIII debuted as a more linear, streamlined game in 2010, there was widespread disappointment. Why? Because the exploration elements reduced to essentially traversing corridors of land. Square Enix were accused of wanting to move into films more than games, by dictating a player’s experience. Now, they have set out to prove that isn’t the case.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 is the peace offering – a direct stand-alone sequel that attempts to evolve the gameplay that divided opinion in Final Fantasy XIII. If you never played the original title, then the Beginner’s Primer will allow you to read through the story of Final Fantasy XIII, providing you with some background knowledge that is helpful. It’s not necessary though as XIII-2 evolves outside that story but with characters new and old appearing, it is a useful addition for newcomers to take advantage of before they start the story.

Time for Change

As the game opens, you witness Lightning, the protector of the Goddess Etro, fighting Caius Ballad, the main antagonist and rival of Lightning, in Valhalla. As the battle draws to a close, Noel Kreiss appears from nowhere, as if through time. Lightning recognises him from a vision she has had, and tasks him with collecting her sister Serah and bringing her to Valhalla. This is where the game ties in with Final Fantasy XII – at the end of the last game, Lightning was nowhere to be found after saving Serah from her crystallized form. However, three years later, during a chaotic influx of monsters through spatial distortions caused by a meteorite, Serah meets a strange young man (Noel), who rescues her and promises to lead her through time to her sister. With Lightning fighting in Valhalla forming part of Serah’s dream, Serah believes Noel’s story about being sent by her sister, and she embarks on her journey to Valhalla.

So begins your adventures in Final Fantasy XIII-2, travelling through time itself to reunite Serah with Lightning. That’s right – time travel is one of the many changes the game brings to the table, in response to the criticisms levelled at the previous title. Whilst your party continues on its adventure, you will encounter artefacts, either off the beaten path (thereby alleviating some concerns about linearity) or when you defeat certain monsters. These artefacts, once collected, allow you to travel through time, in order to collect items and complete quests. Time travel forms an integral part of the story, with the characters relationships and motives towards Caius being explained by time, as well as the continuation of the story and the completion of the journey depending on it. Therefore, the Time Gates that you encounter throughout the game are incredibly important, and the choice of eras to travel to in the Historia Crux does provide some of the player choice that its predecessor sorely lacked.